Parks Associates: 63% of US internet households use generative AI

Paid AI users report higher NPS across every leading generative AI platform

PLANO, Texas, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Parks Associates today announced new research from AI Experience Consumer Insights Dashboard showing 63% of US internet households now use AI tools, up from 51% in 2025. In addition, paid users of AI tools report higher Net Promoter Scores (NPS) than free users across all leading generative AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and more.

Paid AI adoption has reached 22% of US internet households, but consumers are most willing to pay when AI delivers clear productivity or specialized value. Parks Associates research finds:

• DeepSeek has the highest NPS among paid users at 59.
• Grammarly and Perplexity follow with paid-user NPS scores of 55 and 51, compared to 15 and 10 among free users of these tools, respectively.
• ChatGPT has an NPS of 44 among paid users.
• Alexa+ and Meta AI have the lowest NPS among free users at -10, while their paid-user scores are 40 and 28, respectively.

"AI adoption continues to grow, but providers still have to demonstrate why consumers should pay," said Jennifer Kent, SVP and Principal Analyst, Parks Associates. "The higher NPS among paid users shows that consumers see value in premium experiences."

Trust and safety remain important factors in the next phase of AI adoption, especially as national news continues to report growing concerns from governments, industry insiders, and consumers about the increasing capabilities of AI systems. In one of the most extreme examples, a recent TechCrunch article reports a researcher at Anthropic resigned out of concerns that AI could kill all humans by the end of the decade, with this strong warning: "The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade."

Parks Associates' research reports consumers are more comfortable with AI for productivity and monitoring tasks but show greater concern when AI is used for higher-risk decisions.

"Major consumer brands are integrating AI into products and services consumers use every day," Kent said. "Samsung, for example, is expanding AI capabilities across smartphones, TVs, and home appliances."

Parks Associates will address the role of AI in the smart home and streaming markets at its upcoming events: Future of Video: Business of Streaming, November 17-18 in Marina del Rey, California, and CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference, May 4-6, 2027, in Santa Clara, California.

For data insights or more information, contact Mindi Sue Sternlitz-Rubenstein or visit www.parksassociates.com.

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates helps companies identify new opportunities, refine strategy, and accelerate growth in connected technology markets through data-driven insights and industry expertise. With more than 40 years of experience, the firm delivers proprietary consumer and industry research, market forecasts, and strategic analysis that guide business decisions across personal, connected home, small business, and commercial technology ecosystems. Parks Associates supports clients in navigating evolving markets including AI, security, smart home, broadband, entertainment, energy, multifamily, smart buildings, and connected health.

The firm also fosters industry growth and collaboration by convening thousands of leaders each year through its flagship executive conferences, including CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video.  Learn more at https://www.parksassociates.com.

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Media Contact
Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein
Parks Associates
972.490.1113
[email protected]

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SOURCE Parks Associates